It was an action-packed NFL Week 15, with many important matchups on the slate. Now, we have an exciting week of football with four straight days of NFL ahead. But first, let’s take a look at 10 things from NFL Week 15.
1. Bills Take The Division
The Bills dominated the Broncos on Saturday. Josh Allen had a four-touchdown game on the road. Stefon Diggs had a huge game, reeling in 11 receptions for 147 yards. With the win, the Bills clinched the AFC East. This is the first time since 1995 that the Bills will take the top spot in their division.
2. Brady Leads Comebacks vs. Falcons
Tom Brady orchestrated a comeback against the Falcons. This time Brady was only down 17 and he was wearing a Buccaneers uniform. The final score in the comeback was a 46-yard Antonio Brown deep ball. Leonard Fournette had two rushing touchdowns. Matt Ryan outplayed Brady, but Brady’s teammates outplayed Ryan’s teammates. With the win and the Saints loss, the Buccaneers still have a shot (the Saints need to lose out and Tampa needs to win out) to take the NFC South.
3. Blowout in Baltimore
Lamar Jackson had a great day, albeit he played the Jaguars. He threw three touchdowns and ran for another. This was Jackson’s first four-touchdown game of the season. It was also the first time, since week one, that Jackson threw for three touchdowns. Gardner Minshew had a decent statistical day against the depleted Ravens secondary. Minshew threw for two touchdowns and 226 yards. Despite the blowout loss, the Jaguars got to end their day happy.
4. Jets Win and Lose
In the upset of the year, the Jets beat the Rams in Los Angeles. Sam Darnold played well. He threw the ball 31 times, completing 22 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. Frank Gore got his 100th career touchdown. Jared Goff threw the only turnover of the game. But, the Rams had the ball in field goal range. Sean McVay chose to go for it instead of a 54-yard field goal attempt. It was a bad decision. Goff overthrew his target and the Jets got their first win of the season. With the win, the Jaguars became the worst team in the NFL and they control the top draft pick.
5. Cards win
Jaylon Hurts had a great game in his second NFL start. He threw for 338 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 63 yards and a touchdown. But it wasn’t enough to beat the Cardinals. Kyler Murray also had a four-touchdown game, while tossing 406 yards. Arizona turned the ball over three times and still won. With the win, the Cardinals remain the seventh seed in the NFC.
6. Niners eliminated
San Francisco needed a win. So did Dallas. The Cowboys played well. Nick Mullens threw two interceptions, as well as fumbling the ball away. For the Cowboys, Tony Pollard had two rushing touchdowns, and Andy Dalton threw for another two scores. CeeDee Lamb had a kickoff return touchdown on an onside kick. With the loss, the 49ers are now eliminated from the playoffs.
7. Seahawks Clinch
Neither Russell Wilson nor Dwayne Haskins played well. They were responsible for all three of the turnovers in the game. The difference in the game was special teams. The Seahawks got an additional field goal and the Washington Football Team missed an extra point and had a failed two-point conversion. With the win, the Seahawks punched their ticket to the playoffs.
8. Patriots Eliminated!
The Patriots didn’t have a touchdown in the game. Tua Tagovailoa had two rushing touchdowns. He also tossed an interception. The Dolphins kept pace with the Ravens in the AFC wild-card race, but Miami holds the tiebreaker. With the loss, the Patriots were eliminated from the playoffs. The last time the Patriots didn’t make the playoffs: 2008. The last time the Patriots didn’t have a winning record: 2000.
9. Chiefs Improve to 13-1
Patrick Mahomes vs. Drew Brees. It was an idyllic matchup. But with Michael Thomas ruled out for the rest of the season, the Saints were down the best receiver in the NFL. Brees struggled, to put it lightly, completing less than half of his pass attempts. In the end, Mahomes kept Brees off the field at the end and the Chiefs got the win. The Saints have all but been eliminated from the top spot in the NFC. In sobering news, Clyde Edwards-Helaire went down with a scary injury in the fourth quarter, though initial tests indicate he could return this season.
10. Titans Get Dominant Win
Detroit turned the ball over three times. Derrick Henry had another big day, running for 147 yards and a touchdown. D’Andre Swift and Ryan Tannehill each ran for two touchdowns. With the win, the Titans remain in the top spot in the AFC South.
